In the 1980s, Cannon Films made a lot of truly brain-numbing films...films known mostly for explosions, punching and similar non-intellectual and child-unfriendly faire. Because of this, I was really shocked to see that the company made some films based on fairy tales instead of Chuck Norris blowing up 100,000 no-goodnicks! And, the results are surprisingly good for Cannon.
While the credits claim that the film was inspired by the opera "Hansel & Gretel", the story has no operatic singing whatsoever. There are a few annoying songs sung by the children, but they really aren't opera style in the least...which I think is a good thing.
One thing you MIGHT be wondering is whether or not this story is appropriate for kids. Since these sorts of fairy tales have MANY different versions and there is no definitive and true version, the fact that this version is less bloody and child unfriendly isn't a bad thing. In most versions of the story, Hansel and Gretel are children who have been deliberately abandoned in the woods to await death because their parents are evil and poor and either don't want to feed them or cannot afford to do so. But in this one, Hansel and Gretel are just kind of dumb and wander off into the woods and are lost. And, the rest of the story is pretty much what you'd expect...minus the really evil parents.
So is it any good? Yes, though I think the weakest point are the children themselves...as they are (as I said above) a bit annoying. The adult actors, such as David Warner and Cloris Leachman (as the witch) are very good and the story interesting enough to satisfy folks of neatly all ages. I say nearly because teens and the easily jaded probably will find it all a bit silly.
While the credits claim that the film was inspired by the opera "Hansel & Gretel", the story has no operatic singing whatsoever. There are a few annoying songs sung by the children, but they really aren't opera style in the least...which I think is a good thing.
One thing you MIGHT be wondering is whether or not this story is appropriate for kids. Since these sorts of fairy tales have MANY different versions and there is no definitive and true version, the fact that this version is less bloody and child unfriendly isn't a bad thing. In most versions of the story, Hansel and Gretel are children who have been deliberately abandoned in the woods to await death because their parents are evil and poor and either don't want to feed them or cannot afford to do so. But in this one, Hansel and Gretel are just kind of dumb and wander off into the woods and are lost. And, the rest of the story is pretty much what you'd expect...minus the really evil parents.
So is it any good? Yes, though I think the weakest point are the children themselves...as they are (as I said above) a bit annoying. The adult actors, such as David Warner and Cloris Leachman (as the witch) are very good and the story interesting enough to satisfy folks of neatly all ages. I say nearly because teens and the easily jaded probably will find it all a bit silly.